Patterson, Holloman making Minnesota proud
Two former Twin Cities Metro area high school boys’ basketball standouts went at it on Dec. 2 during the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers men’s basketball Big Ten Conference opener against the Michigan State Spartans.
Michigan State won the game 90-72 with former Minneapolis North and St. Paul Cretin Derham Hall standout Tre Holloman leading the way while matched up against Minnesota’s Lu’Cye Patterson, who prepped at Brooklyn Center and Minnesota Prep.
The game was quite the homecoming for Holloman, a 6’0” point guard who starred at North as an eighth-grader before moving on to an outstanding four-year career at Cretin Derham Hall.
He accepted a scholarship from Michigan State after finishing his career as the Minnesota Gatorade Player of the Year and the Star Tribune Player of the Year.
After coming off the bench during his freshman and sophomore campaigns, Holloman worked hard and persevered. He is now a starter for the Spartans.
Patterson took a different path to the Gophers.
After leading Brooklyn Center to a third-place finish in the Class 2A state tournament as a sophomore, the 6’2” guard fished his prep career at Minnesota Prep Academy becoming one of the state’s top prospects.
He decided to play his final collegiate season for the Gophers after stops at Missouri State University and the University of Charlotte.
Now he starts in the backcourt with Mike Mitchell Jr.
Forward and Prior Lake alum Dawson Garcia led Minnesota with 18 points and 11 rebounds. Mitchell returned to the lineup from injury to add 17, and Cam Christine chipped in 12.
Michigan State was led by Coen Carr’s 12 points. Jaxon Kohler added 11 points and 11 rebounds, Xavier Booker chipped in 11, and Jeremy Fears Jr. had 10.
Holloman had an impressive floor game, leading the Spartans with eight assists while scoring eight points. Patterson had 12 points and a team-leading four assists for the Gophers.
Not a bad night for two former point guards from the metro area.